The D-backs sold off at the 2025 trade deadline, most notably shipping Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez to Seattle in separate deals and trading Merrill Kelly to the Rangers. Despite effectively waving the white flag on the ’25 season with that series of moves, Arizona rallied in the final two months and was in the mix for a postseason spot right up to the final weekend of the season. Owner Ken Kendrick chatted with John Gambadoro and Dave Burns of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM about his team’s hot finish, the decision to retain manager Torey Lovullo for a tenth season, and his club’s outlook for next year (YouTube link to the full 16-minute interview). Most notably, Kendrick conceded that payroll is likely to decline, but that doesn’t mean the Diamondbacks are entering a rebuild or moving out of win-now mode.
“We will not be spending at the same level,” Kendrick said when asked about payroll. “…We don’t just pay the 26 guys on the active roster. We have a 40-man roster. The amount of money we spent on our 40-man roster this year is $220MM. … Will we spend 220 next year? I don’t think that we will. Will we have a very significant payroll that will allow us to compete and be in the playoffs? I think we will.”
The 2025 season, fueled by last year’s surprise signing of Corbin Burnes, pushed the Diamondbacks to a franchise-record payroll. The deep postseason run in 2023 likely left the team with some extra spending capital, and that won’t be the case this year, but Kendrick repeatedly thanked fans for their commitment to the team and the manner in which they turned out. He pointed out this year’s 2.4 million tickets sold were the highest since 2008 and give the club the ability to be more competitive in subsequent seasons than if the fan base had checked out following the deadline.
“While we didn’t have playoff money, we had significant revenues from our fans attending games,” Kendrick continued. “And what I’ve said, and I’ll continue to say it, the money that is there from the revenue we take in, we’re going to reinvest in the team. We’re in a good position to have a very, very credible commitment, financially, to next season. Will the number be the same? It probably won’t be, but I think it’ll be a handsome number that will allow us to have a very, very competitive team — and I wouldn’t want us to back away from the goal of being in the postseason a year from now.”
With a return to the postseason the stated goal, the Snakes will have no shortage of work to do. Burnes will miss most or all of the 2026 season due to Tommy John surgery. Relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez are in similar boats. Zac Gallen is a free agent. Kelly was traded midseason and would have been a free agent anyhow. The pitching staff will need significant help in order to reassemble a playoff-caliber roster.
At the moment, the only starters who can safely be penciled into next year’s staff are Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson. Both Rodriguez and Pfaadt posted ERAs north of 5.00 as they battled home run troubles throughout the year, though the veteran Rodriguez at least finished with a respectable 4.09 ERA following the trade deadline. Nelson was terrific all year, finishing out the 2025 campaign with a 3.39 ERA in a career-best 154 1/3 innings at the MLB level.
General manager Mike Hazen cited the rotation, the bullpen and solidifying the defense around the diamond as the top priorities this offseason (link via 98.7’s Alex Weiner). Pitching help takes priority, per Hazen, but the D-backs clearly plan to focus on run-prevention.
Could a reunion with Gallen be part of that? It’s possible. While the longtime Arizona ace struggled greatly through the season’s first four months, he finished brilliantly, tossing 65 innings with a vintage 3.32 ERA following the deadline (albeit with lesser strikeout numbers than we’re accustomed to seeing from him). Gallen has been open about his love for the organization and the roots he and his family have put down in Arizona. Kendrick heaped praise on Gallen when asked about the right-hander’s future, adding that he wouldn’t say it’s “out of the realm of reality” that the two parties could come to terms on a deal to bring Gallen back next year.
Whether it’s a reunion with Gallen, a reunion with Kelly or bringing a new rotation piece aboard via free agency or trade, the D-backs will have to add at least one starter this offseason — and likely two. Many of the organization’s top pitching prospects either took steps back or went down with notable injuries in 2025. Beyond needing help on the big league staff, the depth is going to need to be bolstered. The bullpen is every bit as much of a puzzle — if not an even larger quandary. It won’t be an easy path for Hazen and his staff.
In discussing the decision to retain Lovullo, Kendrick pointed both to the injuries he navigated — six D-backs pitchers had Tommy John surgery this year — and added that it wasn’t Lovullo’s decision to trade key veterans like Naylor, Suarez and Kelly at the deadline. That decision, he noted, came from himself, from president/CEO Derrick Hall and from general manager Mike Hazen. However, it was Lovullo who kept the team’s spirits up and guided the club down the stretch.
“I don’t think a single one of our fans, on the first of August, would have thought we could be potentially on the edge of being in the playoffs on the final weekend of the season,” Kendrick said. “[Lovullo] did manage all of those games.”
Even with a spending reduction, the Snakes could have room to maneuver this offseason. RosterResource pegs their 2025 payroll at $188MM with a $212MM competitive balance tax calculation. Both of those are below Kendrick’s $220MM figure, though the Diamondbacks moved a bunch of money off their books at the deadline, so those numbers would have been higher before the trades.
Going into 2026, RR lists the payroll at just $107MM with a CBT number of $142MM. Those numbers don’t include the club’s arbitration-eligible players but there should be some dry powder there, depending on exactly how much lower the payroll will go.
Yet another in a long line of joke franchises. There are, say, about 10 such teams.
Let’s see…
Dbacks
Rockies
Angels
Athletics
Twins
White Sox
Marlins
Nationals
Orioles
Pirates
The Dbacks were in a World Series 2 years ago and Kendrick has spent money. This is a joke comment.
Arizona has to compete with 3 teams in their division that have a lot more in the way of financial resources. The Dbacks weren’t going to sustain payrolls near the tax line.
The system is certainly broken. 2/3 of teams can’t/won’t spend with the top 1/3.
Orioles and Dbacks don’t really belong in this list. Both have been top half teams the last few years, better than a handful of teams left off.
The worst org is the Rockies by a mile. They’re on their own list with the White Sox the only team in earshot. Even the White Sox are in a much better spot. The A’s won’t spend but they have a young core and they’ve put multiple successful stretches together over the last 2 decades.
Colorado will be in the basement for at least the next 4 years & that’s being optimistic that they hire a decent GM from outside of their organization. That’s a massive assumption that very well might not happen.
Worst is the Angels!
They have the money, the market and the fanbase to be great but are handcuffed by terrible ownership. Couldn’t even manage a season above .500 with two of the greatest players of all-time and this year finished behind the vagrant A’s.
Argument could be made for the Angels too.
As are streets ahead of the Rockies when it comes to being a garbage franchise. The young core is just because they gutted other cores.
The A’s have torn down and built their roster up multiple times over the last 2 decades. Any organization who can rebuild themselves on a shoestring budget isn’t the worst in baseball. Rockies are a guaranteed joke for another 4 years.
Dang it, I wish I were able to delete my comment.
Funny how Dipoto run Mariners get hammered (because they’ve won nothing) but they are right on the cusp every year. Decent showing considering the ownership fiscal restraints.
okay lol
Diamondbacks don’t belong on that list at all. Silly comment. Their payroll is north of $200 million.
Not a shocker. Kendrick has put out cash for the team. $220MM payroll in Arizona was a big stretch for a middle market club.
Just like the Rockies are intent on competing in 2026…increase payroll, get better players…there you have it.
They spent more money this offseason and won…less! That’s the problem with a middle market club handing out big deals. Arizona went for it with Gallen and Kelly under team control. If you look at the team now there’s just not enough pieces. Between the Burnes injury and all the talent lost—-I wouldn’t be spending $100MM+ to try and patch the team with free agents. They need a little reset here.
Carroll is still young but I don’t think they will be WS contenders when marte is still good so they could try to trade him for a ton of prospects
I don’t know if they’ll get a ton for him but he’d be a strong candidate to move if I were Arizona. Carroll is the only established major leaguer that I wouldn’t listen on.
Marte? Dude, he’s one of the best hitters in baseball.
Perdomo has to be untouchable also. Forgot to mention him. Marte will be 32 and and not much with the glove at this point. I’d pull the trigger for the right offer. Keep him if the offer isn’t there but I’m a big proponent for moving a guy a year early rather than a year late.
They can move Ketel to 1st, he’s still an All-Star caliber offensive player. He’s making 91 million over the next 5 years, good value for the money.
I guess it’s just how long you see his prime lasting. If someone came in with a package of top prospects—I’d have to consider that. Carroll and Perdomo are young stars and if you can add more to that with guys like Waldschmidt and Caldwell joining them—I think you’d wind up with more cracks at this thing over the long haul. 2026 doesn’t especially promising with all the injuries and holes to fill. Marte will be 33 in 2027.
We’ll see though. His contract is definitely far under market for what he’s currently producing.
Teams are hoping on future numbers as he ages, and are reluctant to pay for his peak past. The prospect return would be measured. (Mainly because teams prospect worship/hoard & detest trading decent ones away)
Desperate teams like the Yankees wouldn’t care, they would probably be willing to trade 2 of their best 3 prospects to put him at 1st
Marte is the best second baseman in baseball but he doesn’t have a lot of years ahead of him
A cold wind seems to have blown across the desert in Arizona.
Where’s the fan that wanted them to sign Bellinger and etc? lol
You can’t decline a payroll and compete in anything unless it’s computers over people and they can’t play baseball.
Brewers and Guardians just did that.
Checks out.
Guards – ’24 $106M / ’25 $101M
Brewers – ’24 $114 / ’25 $116M
I have the crew at $124 in ‘24 to $121 in ‘25.
Roughly the same but they made no significant FA additions and lost Adames. Development of players still wins!
You could be right. Mine was a cursory check. I had a hunch both teams didn’t grow payroll.
They aren’t in the same division as the Dodgers and Padres either. Diamondbacks are in an uphill battle yearly just being in that division and those 2 spending way more every year makes it even more difficult to compete on top of the Diamondbacks cutting payroll. Not increasing payroll and publicly starting that your going to decline payroll are different things as well.
Dbacks gearing up to become as bad as the Rockies. I hope that doesn’t happen.
Mike Hazen’s presence alone ensures that the Dbacks will win more than Colorado. There’s a gigantic gap between the 2 organizations.
Maybe. They sure weren’t better a few years ago when they lost 110.
The Rockies won 43 games and have no budding star coming up to fix things. They took the first step and fired Schmidt but the guy who takes that over has the biggest mess in baseball on his hands.
You got that right! Whoever takes on that job will have the monumental task of changing the culture of mediocrity that starts with the owner and extends through the minors. I’m not sure if anyone out there has the qualifications for that.
I think I’d better avoid discussing the teams that aren’t in the playoffs this year. My baseball knowledge is still pretty iffy, and yet I have a TR badge.
All well and good, but what does Lamar think
I’d love to hear of a team that says “No, we are not intent on competing next year.”
We were about 2 games away from making the postseason this year with half a rotation and a third of a bullpen. We’re going to be competing. Also… Cardinals?
You will hear this from a lot of teams that have to deal with the RSN fiasco.
I hate it when a franchise spends big 1 year, then immediately reduces payroll the next. And it never leads to improved results.
Kendrick is actually a baseball fan. He watched Jordan Montgomery kick his @$$ in the postseason and signed him when he lingered on the market. He saw Corbin Burnes wanted to go to Arizona and he reached in his wallet and signed him. Both of these backfired on him hard but I’d tell you there’s at least 15 clubs with worse owners than this guy.
It’s because owners generally run the franchises as “for profit” businesses. We fans always are comfortable spending their money.
But yet a New Era fitted is now $50 but they’re broke. Got it
Another cheap greedy billionaire. Another Republican fanatic. Makes sense
Because everyone hear came to hear about politics.
The Dbacks acquired 9’ish BP arms at the deadline, many of whom will be counted on in ’26. They may roll the dice on an inexpensive OF, but I think they will lean on Lawler, Smith, Alexander, Tawa, McCann and Mountcastle to get ABs at some combination of 3B, 1B, super utility, C and DH. People know about Burnes, but not everyone knows the Dbacks lost several depth arms, as well – Henry, Walston, Mena, Montes de Oca, etc. With that in mind, I think the Dbacks will re-sign Kelly and aquire multiple depth arms.
Ooops, Waldschmidt not Mountcastle.
Maybe we can get Brad Pitt to come and run the team like he did in Moneyball. Because that’s where your payroll is gonna be.
I’m excited to see what Hazen does for the outfield this off season. I wonder if they give real consideration to trying Blaze in Center Field full time. It would ease the log jam in the infield giving a path to Lawlar having 3B. He is certainly athletic enough and would be a significant improvement in the arm strength department. That leaves LF needing a right handed hitter with some pop. Assuming 1 of McCarthy or Thomas remain to be the 4th outfielder. Do they go try to give Waldschnit an opportunity or is he still a year away and they go with someone outside the organization. Will be interesting to see.
I agree regarding the OF. While the off-season focus will be on SP, I’m thinking the Dbacks take a flyer on an inexpensive OF to play some LF. Alexander, Tawa and either McCarthy or Thomas could man CF and some LF.
I know baseball is a business but I hate when teams cut payroll like this.
Their payroll was artificially blown up by $30MM this past year because the owner decided to not pass up on an opportunity to sign Burnes when he had Gallen and Kelly under control. He deferred a bunch of cash on that.
I think if you saw that for what it was then this was always the outcome afterward.
Similar but not identical to the Twins’ willful negligence in signing Correa to that ridiculous contract. At least they found a taker for him, but you can bet that fire sale will continue. Burnes should provide future value, but not until ‘27 unfortunately.
The plan of getting into a postseason with Pfaadt, Gallen, Burnes, and Kelly wasn’t illogical at all. They pushed chips in for Naylor who was a FA as well as Suarez.
The team wasn’t bad at all on paper but just about everything went wrong with the pitching and the injuries there. Aside from Kelly who was very good.
Spending money hasn’t worked very well when you waste so much on fat, old, left handed losers. They need to find more diamonds in the rough like Meryl Kelly.
The craziest thing to me is I know Gallen personally and he said the DBacks have never reached out to him nor his agent at any point to discuss an extension. How do you never have that conversation with your ace of the past 6 years?
Imo, Gallen was gone as soon as the Dbacks signed Burnes. They were never going to pay both Gallen and Burnes TOR money. And Gallen, with Boros as his agent, was never going to take a hometown discount. That said, given Gallens ’25 struggles, the Dbacks could sign him to a 1-year deal if he doesnt get the long term pact he’s probably seeking.
Carroll, Perdomo, Marte, and Moreno are Diamondbacks for a long time and that is the sole reason to believe this team will at least be competitive and fun to watch for the foreseeable future. The Diamondbacks had a good two year window after their World Series run and it’s been a disappointment, but they definitely tried. I do think they’ve been hesitant at making upgrades via trades however, and now it’s probably too late to be looking at big trades. Two starters, an outfielder, first base, maybe third base and even more pitching; that is a lot to add this offseason but I’m hopeful they’ll get some good fits without breaking the bank or trading any prospects. Looking ahead I’m excited for Waldschmidt and Caldwell. If those two can fall anywhere on a scale between McCarthy/Thomas to Carroll, then that is an upgrade and huge for the future of the team and will allow them to continue to spend on (the right) pitching.